Borgarfjörður: Culture, Hiking Trails and Puffins

Borgarfjörður brings together distinctive traces of local history, hiking trails, birdwatching and a cycling route over a mountain pass. Several of the cultural and culinary places described here are in Bakkagerði; Hafnarhólmi is about 7 km away. These different points of interest can help you choose the experiences that matter for your trip and put Borgarfjörður into perspective as a holiday destination.

Local History and Art in Bakkagerði

Lindarbakki is the only surviving building of this type of shoreline house in Bakkagerði, dating from around 1900. It is regarded as a valuable record of earlier times and ways of life. Seeing this one surviving house makes the special significance of this architectural style for the village tangible: Lindarbakki does not represent a row of surviving houses, but the last surviving building of this group.

Bakkagerðiskirkja also offers a concrete connection to local history. The church on the edge of Bakkagerði was consecrated in 1901. Its altarpiece was painted by Jóhannes S. Kjarval in 1914. It depicts Christ delivering the Sermon on the Mount at Álfaborg, with the Dyrfjöll mountains in the background. In this work in the church, a biblical subject and named places in the surrounding area come together.

The Álfacafé offers further local connections: it displays objects made from local rocks, as well as pieces representing local culture and art. The café also serves waffles with whipped cream and fresh berries. If you enjoy combining cultural discoveries with a regional stop for refreshments while travelling, you can find both in one place in Bakkagerði.

Birdwatching and Trails

Hafnarhólmi is about 7 km outside Bakkagerði. It has two observation platforms and a birdwatching house. Puffins stay there from around mid-April to early August. If birdwatching is one of your travel interests, this period is useful to keep in mind when planning; treat the approximate dates as a seasonal window, not as exact cut-off dates.

For hiking, the extensive Víknaslóðir network, also known as the Trails of the Inlets, is available. The varied, well-marked trails stretch from the village of Bakkagerði to Loðmundarfjörður. This is different from a single ascent near the village: Víknaslóðir is an extensive network of trails, while the easy ascent to Álfaborg starts near the campsite in Bakkagerði. Depending on whether you want to focus on a trail network or an ascent, you can plan different kinds of days.

A cycling route also combines physical activity with a specific course: the 19 km route from Borgarfjörður to Húsavík runs from Bakkagerði over the Húsavíkurheiði pass. Most of it follows a good 4×4 track. Its length and the pass are useful points of reference if you want to include this route in your travel plans.

Music and Drinks

Bræðslan, a music festival, has been held for many years in an old fish factory in Bakkagerði. The venue connects the festival with a building from an earlier period in the village’s history. In addition, visitors can try various beers, locally distilled gin and Icelandic Landi in the serving room at KHB Brewery & Distillery. Each offers a different focus: music in an old fish factory on the one hand, and drinks from the local brewery and distillery on the other.

When looking for a holiday apartment in Borgarfjörður, you can consider which of the experiences described here matter for your stay. Several places and attractions are in Bakkagerði, while Hafnarhólmi is about 7 km away. This makes it possible to choose a holiday destination based on your own interests without treating the different places and experiences as if they were the same.

More local pages: Seyðisfjörður, Eiðar, Neskaupstadur, Vallanes, Kleppur, Reydarfjördur, Berunes and Fljótsdalur.

For the overview of the wider region: Austurland.